The Story of a Lonely Outcast
by LaMB-COW
Summary: Elsa had a childhood, but we don't know what kind of trials she went through. Is it really possible she made that giant castle on the mountain without ever using her power before? What did Disney not tell us about the newest most popular character?
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Diary,_

_Hello, I know I've never written before, but I'm still small, and I'm not so sure I can trust you with my secrets yet. I'm going to tell you anyways, though. Mom said I could talk to you about anything, that I can trust you. I trust her, so I'm trusting you too. _

_PS dad is kind of scary, but he helps me a lot, so he's allowed to be._

_Okay, here goes nothing. My name is Elsa and I'm twelve years old. When I was born, I had a magical power to make snow and ice. I used to be really good at controlling it. My sister Anna and I would even play with it sometimes. We would go in the main hall, and I would make a winter wonderland for us to play in... but when I was little, I accidentally hurt Anna. I threw a magic blast right through her head._

_Mom and Dad found us and Dad picked up Anna and made us run all the way to this meadow. It was covered in big rocks, but soon we found out they were trolls. The leader troll asked dad what happened and when he knew, he was able to save her. But he said something scary. If I ever hit Anna in the heart, even if it was by accident, she would die. _

_Dad talked to me when we got back home. He made me promise, to swear, that I would never play with my powers again. Especially with Anna. He told me the trolls had to make her forget everything..._

_So now, years later, I have to be very careful. I'm not allowed to use my powers and my dad gave me these special blue gloves that help me control my power._

_The thing is though... I don't want to keep my power inside! It makes me feel angry and scared keeping it in. And Anna... She asks me to play all the time... but dad said I can't play if I can't control it. And I can't yet! I'm afraid if we get close again, I'll just hurt her even more, and since she doesn't know, every time I'm near her is putting her at my risk. What if I wasn't careful enough and I hurt like I did before? _

_And what will my dad do? Before I hurt Anna, my dad loved me so much.. but when Anna was hurt, and it was my fault, it came to the point that I felt like he hated me. Because I hurt his daughter. His normal daughter. Because I wasn't the same. Not to him._

_But I still love my father with all my heart, and I want him to love me too. And he wants me to stay away and be on my own, and control everything. Then I will, because all I want is the love I lost. The unconditional, unhindered fatherly love._

_But it all changed, and now I have nobody that I can trust myself with. Nobody besides myself that really loves me._

I stopped writing then, as I felt the air around me get colder. An icy tinge bit at my arms, but I didn't feel cold. I was immune, but I knew what that feeling meant, and it sent a shiver up my spine.

"Why does this always happen?" I whispered, fear making my voice shaky. I looked up from my small journal where it was on my desk, and saw what I feared. The chair I was sitting on was frozen over with a thick layer of ice, and my hands up to my elbows were coated in a prominent layer of frost. My fingertips were starting to ice over, and I instantly regretted taking off my gloves to write.

I didn't want this! I wanted to be normal, like Anna! I wanted to be Elsa. Just Elsa. Not Elsa the Frost fingered. Not Snow girl. Just Elsa!

As I thought this I saw the wall in front of me start to crawl with frosty configurations.

"No, no, no! Stop!" My fingers were starting to look like they were gloved, and I panicked. I needed to let some of this go! I used to be able to! So why not now? I tried to calm my growingly rapid breathing.

"Okay, okay. I can do this." I muttered reassuringly to myself. I brought my left hand up to my lips, and blew softly, trying anything. I knew I could do it, so that had to be for something. As my breath hit my hand, I pleaded that the snow would go away.

Miraculously, the snow blew away, like it was dust waiting to be swept away at the simplest wind. Grinning hopefully, I blew the glaze off the rest of my hand, and then the other. I knelt up on the chair then, and reached for the wall. Maybe it would come off the wall just as easily. But, as I reached my hand forward, I grew nervous. I wasn't sure, I mean, my hands, I could do, but a whole wall?... I don't know about that...

My uncertainty didn't help much, because as my hand touched the wall, a bold design of a beautiful snowflake crawled from the center of my hand onto the wall. I instantly drew my hand away in fear of what I might do. But even then, the design grew, covering more of the wall in intricate patterns. I tried clearing my mind.

The snowflake didn't look mean... and it couldn't hurt me.. the cold didn't bother me, so how could it? As long as I made it go away before my parents could come inside, I would be alright... right? My parents would still love me as long as they never saw the snow from me. And for now, what was holding me back, my parents were busy having a meeting with some duke in a neighboring kingdom. Though they were due back the next morning... but I could figure this out by then, right? Right! I mean, the snowflake was just that. A snowflake. It wouldn't hurt me! It couldn't! Because I was the princess, and the snow and frost, and ice... they were just like a prince, or a friend! As long as I was nice to him, he would be nice to me. I could be friends with these things I made, and if I used my proper princess manners, they would use theirs and respect me, right?

No harm in trying.

A grin lit up my pale face as I looked down at the icy chair I was standing on. Before I could do anything, I wondered how it was that I could stand here. I was at an odd angle, and ice is supposed to be slippery! When I used to play with Anna, she would slip on the ice every time she tried walking! I cautiously stepped down from the chair, looking at it scrutinizingly.

My examinations were cut short however, when I heard the light rap rap-rap rap rap of Anna's small fist on my bedroom door, some fifteen feet away.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" I heard her call in. I frowned. The last time she'd done this was a few weeks ago! And she picked the day I was finally starting to figure things out, to knock on my door, and ask me if I wanted to go play? I'd told her a gajillion times before;

"I'm busy, go away!" And I said it again today! I was trying to control my power, and she was distracting me!

"How about ride our bikes around the halls?" She asked, I could practically hear the pout in her voice. But she still had hope. Sigh.

"No, Anna. I told you already! I'm busy!" I called back out, my temper rising slightly. The tingling chill went down my spine, and I felt the air around me drop in temperature as I glared toward the door.

Why couldn't Anna just leave me alone, or bug me some other day, so I could figure myself out for once! It seemed every single time I would get close to reaching that passing of fear, that confidence to try and hone my powers, Anna would ask me wanna build a snowman? all innocent like. But what she wasn't able to realize, was, no matter how much she asked I couldn't build a snowman! I forgot how!

I felt the change in air, and the frost on my head, the lacey texture of it covering my skin as it did the wall and some of the floor. I wanted to cry, but it were as if the tears were frozen in my eyes, constantly there reminding me of my pain, but never able to fall and relieve me of the ache in my heart, put there by my inability to be good enough that my parents would allow me to play with my sister.

They loved her without thinking, but because I had a problem, they couldn't love me unless I tried hard enough to be good. Unless I suppressed all I felt. Until I could conceal instead of feel, not letting my feelings in...

"What could you possibly be busy with! You say that every time I ask to play! I think some company is overdue, I've started talking to the pictures on the walls. It's gets a little lonely, with all the empty rooms. The gates are closed, there are no other kids! Even when I want to play, I know there's no hope! You hate me, so you won't come play with me! It's not fair to me. You're the only friend I can have, you never play anymore." Her voice had fallen, she was so sad.

I remembered when we used to play together. There was so much life in the castle. Even then there weren't a lot of other kids, but Anna and I were able to play together, the two of us were unstoppable! Elsa and Anna! The funnest couple of kids ever seen. As her voice became more and more forlorn, I began to feel my temperature cooling, and some of the ice around me stop spreading. I walked to the door.

Anna didn't understand. I was forbidden to play with her unless I could control my powers. Those were the rules! And if I broke them, who knows what could happen to me! I wanted to go play, but I didn't want mom and dad to hate me! I wanted them to love me, and if I did a bad thing like playing with Anna when that could hurt her, I don't know if they would forgive me.

As she finished her little speech, I slid down the door, so I was sitting with my back was against it. Through the door, I could hear Anna just on the other side, right near where my head was. I could imagine her sitting as I was on the other side.

"But don't worry, Elsa. You're still the very bestest big sister I've ever had. And I love you anyway. I know you're nice. You're just only playing and being nice inside of your room, and won't let me in. I know you're a good person though. One day, you'll say yes. One day, we'll be friends again." I knew she was going to leave then, and I wanted to tell her not to. I wanted someone around. I wanted to be Anna's friend like I never had before. But I couldn't. Not now, maybe not ever.

It had been a billion years since Anna left to run around and do her own thing. I had been sitting thinking the entire time. Was I a good person? Did my mom and dad really love me?

Eventually, I was brought out of my thoughts. I could stay in my mind forever, but I needed to do something! The air was frigid to a point that I could see my breath and all the walls were covered in a layer of ice. I had sit still and felt sorry for myself for long enough, now was time to act!

I sighed and stood up tentatively. There was ice everywhere by now. Coating all the walls and most of the furniture and floors. I pressed my eyes closed; I just wanted all of it to be gone! I didn't want this! Any of it!

I opened my eyes and with a reassuring breath I faced my reality. I walked around the room examining the ice on all surfaces. It was odd, there were swirls and shapes etched into the ice as if someone had come along with their hand drew the designs in with their finger. But that certainly couldn't be. There were other spots that looked like they'd been carved in with a knife. Those were the more interesting spots, they were scenes from my childhood. Anna and I playing in the great hall, making snowmen, and a billion other things, intricately traced into the ice.

I stared in wonderment, trying to believe that I had done this. I couldn't have, could I? This certainly wasn't destructive, and thats all I was. A torturer. I hurt people because I was careless and mean... Or was I? How could something supposedly destructive produce something so pretty? So kind and tame? This couldn't be a totally bad thing then, could it?

I was starting to gain confidence and I reached forward and traced my hand against the ice. I laid my palm on the center of the design. The whole scene splayed out from a snowflake swirl at my eye level. It was impossible and amazing. When my bare skin touched with the ice, I was surprised by the warmth it held. It wasn't cold at all! It was like I was standing under the noonday sun in summer.

A small curious smile spread across my face. This couldn't be a bad thing. Mom and dad just didn't understand the beauty.

Mom and dad.

Dang it. I had to make it all go away so mom and dad wouldn't get mad at me. They would yell... And I didn't think I could handle that right then.

I scrunched my hand up and I felt the ice start to seep away. As my hand slowly neared a fist, all the ice disappeared and I frowned; the warmth I'd felt when the ice encased me had fallen away, and the room was suddenly freezing.

I walked away from the wall and toward the diary I'd left sitting on my table.

_Oh diary! Its the most amazing thing! _

And for those next few hours I wrote and sang. I was normal for that small time, and I was happier than I'd been in a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the day past in a blur. Dinner with Anna and Patty- Anna's tutor (mine couldn't make it to dinner because she was busy with other business)- was dull and I mostly spent it avoiding all eye contact possible, and desperately trying not to freeze the table as I got bored of the amiable, yet vague way of conversation.

Then I had lessons with my tutor Alicia. She was my favorite of the castles staff members. Always so lighthearted and exciting, Alicia never failed to both entertain and teach me at the same time. I learned of my maths and literature as well as history and science. Then there were other practical arts such as music- which I didn't excel in at all- and what I liked to call "princess practice", which helped me be more ladylike and such.

That particular lesson we were focusing on history, which I found particularly interesting. Alicia gave me a book to read, since I was so reluctant to finish lessons.

"Now, Miss Elsa, if you don't go to bed real soon here you'll be one unhappy camper tomorrow when you have to wake up early." She warned me. But I didn't want to go to sleep yet; I was always able to control my power and be so much happier around her for some reason, and when our lessons finished, and I had to go to sleep, I was often bothered by nightmares of terrible things I could do if I wasn't careful.

"But, please! I don't want to sleep yet!" I persisted, pouting up at her with my best sad eyes.

She sighed quietly and she glanced around the empty room superstitiously. "Tell you what hun, if you promise to go to bed all nice like, I'll let you borrow a book of mine. Its an old book a used to read as a young girl such as yourself, and I know you'd just love it. What do ya say?" She raised her eyebrows and stuck out her hand. "Deal?"

I thought on her proposition for a moment. I did love reading and Alicia was really fun, so if she loved the book, it had to be a great one... "Deal." I replied and shook her hand.

Alicia chuckled good-naturedly and replied: "Thata girl! Now come along, I'll walk you to your dormitory and tell you all about it so we don't lose time."

I smiled and collected the few work folders from the large desk and excitedly skipped to the door alongside Alicia.

As we walked down the small hallway, before she started telling me of the book, I inquired "Can we go through the secret passage? Please?" Throughout the castle were "hidden" passageways intended for servants and such for during parties and other times when there were a large number of important guests staying in the castle with us.

"Very well, but only this once, and only if you promise not to tell your parents." Alicia wagered. I smiled deviously and agreed.

"I promise! They're just so mysterious, they always make me feel like I'm a detective or something!" I exclaimed in a whisper as we snuck into the old, rarely used passageways that led along by my bedroom.

"Alright, so this book is about a young boy named Jokul Frosti. He's the spirit of winter, so to speak. Its said he's the reason snow comes in the winter after all the leaves have fallen from autumns. He paints the world white. Gives trees icicles and freezes lakes and streams. He's quite the character." Alicia explained with hushed tones and excitement.

"You mean, he's the one who makes all the snow and ice happen?" I asked. What kind of coincidence she would give me a book like this! Could she maybe know about my powers? My parents did, but... Did that mean she did? Was this a coincidence after all?

"Or so the legend goes, yes. Some call him a curse, but those who love the cold of the winter, and the white world that comes with it believe he's like an angel blessing us with the pureness of a winter wonderland." She continued.

I gazed up at her in awe. "That sounds like such an amazing book! How did you ever find it?" I asked, my attention captured.

"My father used to tell me the tales of Jakul every snowfall when I was a babe, and when I asked to know more about it, he gave me his book. This book," she gestured to the text in the crook of her arm. "Just as I'm about to do for you. Every year you look around at snow with such admiration. I've been wanting to give you this book for a while, but I knew it would be most significant today. You seem so cheerful, and its been the first snow of the season." Alicia smiled fondly down at me as I grinned admiringly up at her.

"Thank you so much. I look forward to reading it!" I exclaimed. We'd made our way to the end of our journey in the secret tunnels and as we snuck out and came to my door, I hugged her briefly thankful for all she'd done for me, and again thanked her for the book before going in my room and lying down, content and ready for a full nights sleep.

I fell asleep quickly enough, and my dreams were peaceful for once. Or, at least, they started that way.

_I was flying through the sky with Jakul beside me, we were having a snowball fight in mid air. In my minds eye, Jakul about the same age as I was, maybe a year older. He had bright blue eyes, the color of a frozen lake. His hair was lighter than my own pale blonde, looking nearly white. _

_As we flew through the sky, laughing and launching snowballs at each other periodically, I saw something dark in the corner of my eye. Something bad. I stopped laughing and looked toward it to see what was going on, but there was nothing there. I shrugged, a bit spooked, and turned back to Jakul, only for him to be dragged down by arms of ice. _

_The ice was tinted a darker color, seeming to be black as charcoal. I shrieked in fear as identical arms grasped me around my neck and dragged me down onto the thin ice of a river below where Jakul and I had been flying._

_I tried to get away, but more hands appeared and held me down on the ice until I was completely unable to move. I tried to open my mouth, but it was froze shut. I could feel my eyes starting to freeze in the position they were. I desperately tried to shout out and have it all stop._

_I was incapable. My tongue was starting to freeze in my mouth, and the tear I felt hot behind my eyes suddenly became cold as if they too were freezing. I was being frozen alive! _

_"Who's in control now, Elsa?" I heard a cold voice whisper in my ear. I whimpered in fear and dread as a faceless ice man appeared in my sight and started laughing evilly as if he'd just conquered the world._

_No! No! I tried calling out in vain. I really couldn't control this power at all could I?_

_"Stop it you fiend!" My savior called out. It wasn't Jakul or anyone else I knew of, but the icy villain seemed to recognize him. _

_"Ethen!" The ice monster yelled out. Ethan smiled._

_"Hello dear Keelan! Long time no fight! About time to change that, don't you think?" He raised his hands in challenge._

_Keelan, my personal devil- or so it would seem, as he had started to freeze me alive- grinned maliciously. "Don't mind if I do!" And he raised to his feet I'm a quick motion and started shooting frozen fiats at him. _

_Ethan was thrown back and frozen to tree, but before he could get any more hurt, he opened his fisted hands, and there within held a flame which rolled down his arms and legs- miraculously not burning any clothing- and melted the restraints right off. _

_In that moment I wished I could do the same to myself and rid myself of the freeze taking over my body. The cold was creeping from my head down into my body. My legs were positively frozen as well as my forearms, and the longer the black shaded ice grasped my wrists ankles and neck the colder and more frozen I felt. I'd never truly felt cold before, so for me it was excruciating. I felt like I was on fire like I'd never been before. _

_I watched longing to be warmed, as Ethan threw a ball of fire at Keelan. It missed, but only moments later, another flame was launched, and this one surrounded Keelan, and after a matter of moment screaming for it to stop, he melted into a puddle on the ground like snow did in spring._

_But he was too late, just before he could get the black ice off me I felt the last bit of me freeze, my heart enveloped in the coldness I thought I had been immune to._

I woke with a start to find my entire bedroom coated in ice. My bedsheets were frozen and there was snow and icicles everywhere. The window on the far side of my room was completely sheathed in an intricate snowflake design.

I didn't want to get up, but I felt cold, and I didn't know what I should do. I was usually comfortable surrounded by ice, but there was something off about it in that moment, and as my eyes were drawn to my bedside table, I saw that the book about Jakul Frosti was no longer alone on the table. There was a second book I had never seen before sitting on top of Alicia's book to me. The cover was a dark red, but held no title.

This book was the only item in the entire room not touched by the icy licks of my power, and for that very reason I was both very interested and very afraid of what it could be. I'd never seen it before in my life, and I often spent afternoons in the castles library looking at and reading books.

I closed my eyes and was assaulted with the scene of the fire powered hero from my nightmare, and I quickly shook it away and opened my eyes. I swung my legs over the side of my bed, willing the ice of my bed to clear away, and after a few moments concentration, it happened. The white faded and the bed felt warmer. I reached to my bedside table and picked up the mysterious red book.

The moment the book left the table, the whole room seemed to unfreeze slowly, the snow and ice melting away without a trace. I briefly wondered if it were possible the book I now held in my hands had caused the freeze in my room during my sleep.

Brushing such thoughts away I opened the book, but due to the darkness I couldn't see what the pages read. A familiar wave of fatigue rolled over me, and I tiredly decided I could read the mystery book in the morning when I awoke.

With that in mind, I held the red book to my chest and fell back into my bed, and was asleep within minutes. I had regular dreams of rainbows swimming in the ocean, where everyone loved me.

...

When I awoke the next morning, I remembered the last nights escapades, and noticing the strange red book was nowhere in sight, I wondered if it had even happened.

I did have odd dreams, maybe it was all just nothing, a big dream that just felt real...

And as the twelve year old girl I was, why wouldn't it have been a dream? So I forgot about the whole thing and jumped out of bed, getting ready for the day that awaited me; another day of avoiding Anna, learning maths and such from Alicia, and being bossed by Miss Patty Anna's tutor and acting mom while Mother and Father were still out of the castle on business.

It would be just a day as any other. At least thats what I thought would happen.

I had no idea what I had coming.

...

A/N: Thanks to everyone for reading! This chapter is for everyone who favorite'd/followed the story! Thanks so much! It means a lot!

Please leave a review of what you thought even if its short! Thanks again! :D

-Lamb


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey all I'm back from the land of the inactive authors land. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

It was around noon when it started to happen: I was reading a book in the library, accompanied by Alicia. It of a wondrous love story, though I had no idea what the name was. After a few chapters of the main characters' love, I started to feel slightly ill. My stomach churned in an odd way.

On top of that it had started to rain through the morning, and now it was pouring. It was rather dark and I was having trouble seeing the words in my book, even with a lantern close by. Trying to make out the words was making my head ache something horrible.

I wanted nothing more, in that moment, than to go back to my room and sleep. "Alicia?"

The young lady glanced up from her journal wonderingly. "Yes, deary?"

"Do you think I could go to my room and lie down for a few minutes? I feel a little ill." I asked in my best princess manner. If I wanted to leave, I had to seem completely sincere.

She seemed to buy my claim and nodded at me, concern flashing on her face. "Of course, Hun. I'll escort you, and we can pick up here tomorrow." Alicia compromised. I flashed a weak smile her way.

I set the book down on the chair I'd been sitting on. We walked out together, through the large corridors back to my room- which had been strategically placed on the opposite side of the castle to Anna's.

"Your parents should be back within a few hours honey, would you like me to come get you to see them when they do?" Alicia asked kindly. But I knew the truth; I wouldn't have a say in if I would or not. I had to. Those were the rules.

So instead of being a brat, I agreed and turned into my room with a small smile. Alicia smiled warmly back then walked away. I quickly shut my door and turned to the contents of my room.

I was unprepared, however, for the sight that greeted me. Standing there in the middle of the room was something I never expected.

There was a pedestal with a red book sitting on it like an artifact in a museum. I didn't know what to think. Was last night a dream? What was real and what wasn't?

I pushed my fears away... I needed to face this. This book... Whatever it was, had to be important- right? Or why would it be here? Seemingly magically appearing at its leisure?

I tentatively walked from the door to the room's center- which was marked by a snowflake, which was kind of fitting, considering.

I reached out and picked up the leather bound text, trying to see what it was. After examining all edges of the book and finding no indication of what it was meant to be about, I opened the cover.

My stomach still felt awful, and when there was nothing on the first few pages I frowned. Was this a book of no words? What use is that?

I flipped through the rest if the pages, finding nothing. Wow. I scoffed in irritation and threw the book across the room to the fire place. There were no flames burning in it- there couldn't be; I would put it out before I could get close enough to feel the warmth, and not on purpose, it just happened.

But as it sat in the fireplace, the book began to glow bright, and even from my position in the middle of the room, I could feel the warmth. It was strange, though. Usually I felt better in a cold room. Fires were not comforting, as they were to others. Summer was a horrid affair, and the only thing that kept me sane was my power that seemed to seep out around me in my room.

This book, however, glowed a good seven feet away from me and warmed me from the inside out. It was strange and impossible... And yet it happened. A warm, curious smile lit up my face as I took a step towards the fireplace. Surely this book was special. It _glowed!_

I crouched down in the large cavity and picked the text up, opening it once again; hoping by some miracle words would have miraculously appeared on the pages. I mean, if it could glow, certainly words could magically pop on the page, right?

But as I opened the cover I was disappointed by the lack of language or markings of any kind on the pages. I thought for sure I was doomed. The warmth melted away then, though the book was still glowing.

My disappointment rand strong and I felt the anger towards this unexplainable atrocity. First it appears in the middle of the night, and sets a sleep spell on me when I hold it. Then when I wake up, it's gone! Just out of existence suddenly! Then after a morning of feeling sick, it appears in my room on a _frozen pedestal?_ What was it? And then after it all, I open it and find no words. Even after it magically glows! Nothing! No indication it had any point at all!

I felt the fury, and I didn't care. For that moment, that I was supposed to _conceal, not feel_ didn't matter. I couldn't ignore this anger. Maybe it was more than just towards the book, maybe that was just the last straw and I was _finally_ snapping or something... But I refused to conceal this time! No! This time, I would let it out. No holding back. What was the point anyways, to appease my parents? My father? I don't need them!

I knew exactly what I wanted from my powers, and it was going to happen. I threw the book across the room, and before it could hit anything, I willed a dagger sharp icicle from the far wall to impale the hideous book.

But the impact never came. It should have, by all rights and laws of science. But it didn't. Instead, the book stopped mid-air. I couldn't fathom how or why, but there was some reason.

That was when I saw it; there was a section of the window that could be opened, and the edges were slightly off. The window had been opened.

Someone was in my room. They caught the book and were moving it around to antagonize me... Or something. Oh, and the person- whoever they were- was invisible.

/.*.*.*.*.\

I was speechless; paralyzed even.

There was a person in my room- my _personal quarters_. Me- heir to the throne, crown princess of Arendell.

Someone- an invisible person- had broken in and teased me with an odd book. A glowing one.

And now whoever it was, knew that I knew that they were there _right now._ The situation left me unsure of my next move, but the other person seemed to have an idea.

The red book- the only indication of where the intruder was- started approaching me. I hastily took steps back until I was pressed against the wall next to my door.

The book didn't stop, continuing to trap me. I did the only thing I could think, I willed ice daggers like the one I'd forced out of the wall into the palms of my hands. I needed some means of defense if anything happened.

"Don't come any closer." I warned my voice low and surprisingly cool. Like I knew what was going on and I could control the situation, which wasn't how I actually felt at all.

"I don't want to hurt you." I heard the voice of my intruder say after a moment. The advances stopped though, so I was standing roughly four feet from the book and its alleged owner. It was a boy and he seemed to be a bit taller than me. Not quite a man I wouldn't think. I couldn't quite gauge the age further than that though. I hadn't around many boys after all.

"Why can't I see you?" I asked. It bothered me that I didn't know who I was up against or where exactly he was. It didn't so much matter his name, though. A name wouldn't mean much anyways. He could be Frederick or Charles or any number of other people, but that was just a name. There would be hundreds by any given name in Arendell alone. And who knows where this boy was from?

"I'm different too." He started. "Nobody can see me. Only if they know how to... Only if they have the gift." He said cryptically.

I found it hard to believe. How could someone be selectively invisible? If one person could see him... Then wouldn't the rest?... "Are you... Are you dead?" I didn't know how to ask it without being so blunt, so I said what I wanted answered hoping he wouldn't get offended and kill me.

I was surprised, however, to hear him laughing. "No, no. Not dead." He reassured. "Just invisible."

"What do you mean? A person can't actually be invisible. It's not possible!" I argued. Certainly this was all fake... I was just too tired to think straight.

"I'm not invisible so much, as I am transparent. I'm not technically here after all. You'll understand soon enough." He told me.

I covered my fear at the possible implications of his statement. "I don't think I will. This is like nothing I've ever heard of. If you're not here, then where are you?" I asked, my voice beginning to quiver.

"Physically? I'm far away. But I can't tell you just where. If I did, then the others lurking in here would hear and come after me. I have to be a secret." The transparent one insisted in a serious way. I could almost imagine his face as he spoke... except that I had no idea what he looked like.

"Well, then what's your name?" I asked quietly, my fear starting to melt away.

"I'm Ethan." He said calmly. Suddenly, my so-called dream from last night came reeling back to me.

"Ethan...?" I stuttered out. I could see him now, just like in my dream. He slowly materialized in front of me, from head to toe. He was very tall, a good foot over my slight frame, with broad shoulders and brown-red hair that seemed to glow in my icy lit room. My eyes met Ethan's, his blue eyes sizzling with strange electricity.

A sly smile lit the edges of Ethan's mouth as he realized my recognition. "Welcome to our world, Elsa." He said, and with that, the others from my dreams, and more I didn't recognize, came forth from the dark corners of my room.

The confusion and curiosity was practically radiating from me. "What... How are you all here?" I asked, pressing myself back into the wall I leaned against.

"You're not the only one with a power, Elsa. We're all different. And all very much alive, somewhere in the world." Jakul replied stepping nearer to me with an icy hand extended towards me. "Here, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Jakul, but those who reside in this side of reality call me Jay. That hot head over there is Keelan, though he's icier than any of us. I don't understand why he hates everyone so much. But he does. Um, then there's Bea, she does plants and stuff. No big surprise there, I mean, do you see what she wears? Seriously!" Jak prattled.

"Jak, are you forgetting someone?" Ethan interrupted with a clearing of his throat.

"What? She already knows who you are!" Ethan shook his head and slapped his palm to his forehead. "Ohhh! Right! And over here..." He stepped away to the edges and brought another over. It was another boy dressed all in black, his hair a startling red color. "We have Hayden. He's a bit of a devil, you could say." Jak said with a grin. I frowned in confusion at the whole event. Was it possible that I'd somehow gotten a horrible disease that lead me to hallucinate these many confusing events?

"A devil? Why?" I asked despite the discombobulated state of my mind.

"He's like the 'spirit of fall' kind of. When all the leaves fly away and stuff. That idea of death in the land to prepare for winter, he has this quality to take away motive of people, and kill plants and all this really cool stuff. He and I are pretty tight!" Jak said with a smirk that didn't seem to fit the relationship between the two.

"We are not friends, Jak. Not after what you did!" Hayden grumbled and stepped away from the group and with a pop, he was gone. I frowned once more.

"I don't think I'm following much of this. Can someone just explain _how_ you're here? Are you really in the room? Why can I see you? Does everyone else see you? How did he just pop away? What-" I started.

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down there! We'll explain everything! Don't worry!" Jak hurried.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. "Elsa? Are you awake? You're parents are home!" Alicia called in.

I sucked in a nervous breath. "I need to go. What happens if she sees you all?" I whispered towards the group of people.

"Don't worry, Elsa. She can't see us. Only hear, and sometimes mortals can't even do that. But I have to go either way. Good luck." Bea said in farewell before she turned and faded to the darkness.

"Keelan's gone, as well. I'm afraid I have to leave now too. Sorry Elsa, you'll manage. I'll be back to help you later." Jak said with a soft smile before he too faded away.

That left only Ethan with me in the room, still holding the glowing red book.

"I have time. I don't leave for another couple hours usually. I have to keep the book in here though, or else the other's will see it floating... Do you have a good place to keep it while we greet your parents?" Ethan asked.

"We? Who said anything about 'we'? I don't even know you!" I started in a quiet voice.

"Elsa, are you alright? I can hear you talking in there. Is someone in there with you?" Alicia called in. I knew I couldn't continue to argue with Ethan with Alicia at the door, so I took the book from his hands, disappeared the ice pedestal in the middle of the room- which was surprisingly easy with a little concentration, and picked up a loose board under the edge of the rug. I slid the book in, replaced the board and walked quickly to the door.

"Don't worry I'm fine! Just reciting my words of the week!" I said, a cover story slipping into place without a second thought. I opened the door with ease, wondering if she would see Ethan standing behind me as I felt him. No such recognition was made. She merely led me along down the halls to where my parents were being greeted back to the castle.

Ethan walked beside me silently. I tried not to glance his way much as that could be considered suspicious, but it was hard. How did work? The 'Gift'? Was he talking about my ice powers?

"Mommy! Daddy!" Anna's squeals interrupted my thoughts. She ran up to my parents and my father scooped her up and twirled her around in circles. Anna's giggles resounded around the room. Ethan looked at me in confusion.

"Why do you not also greet your parents in this way?" He asked in what I knew to be the 'Royal Tongue' where you made your sentences more proper. And confusing. I didn't understand why he would use it now, especially if nobody could hear him.

I shook my head in the smallest of ways before allowing a small smile to curve my mouth. My parents saw me then, and my mother opened her arms to me. My smile widened and I walked to her- because running isn't proper- and she wrapped me in a tight hug that I returned full-heartedly. Mom gave the best hugs.

She pulled away after a moment, much to my dismay- though I concealed it. Anna then ran into my mom's arms and my father gave me a one armed side hug. I felt like screaming and crying at the same time.

I loved my father; he was my knight in shining armor- once upon a time. Why did he choose now to hold back his affections towards me? Was I not worthy of his love anymore? I smiled to appease him and stepped back.

"Oh, so you've got daddy problems? Suddenly everything makes just a little less sense. I glanced at Ethan, who was standing by the wall, sending him a meaningful look; 'you don't know me, don't act like you do', or something like that. I turned back to my smiling- and frowning in my father's case- family.

"Was the trip sooo fun?" Anna asked, nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement. I remember when I was like that. _No, Elsa. You can't be like that again! Look at Anna's hair! You see the white stripe, don't you? That's _your fault_. You can't be her friend anymore. And if you acted like that, who knows what might happen with your powers?_

I shoved the awful thoughts away before looking to my mother. She was watching me with concern. Perhaps I wasn't so good at covering my thoughts as I once thought.

"Are you well, Elsa? You look abnormally pale." My mother piped in. It wasn't usual of a queen to say such a thing aloud, but my mother held not the fears of others hearing.

Stupid princess etiquette, even has me thinking in the Royal Tongue. How annoying! I just want to be a child and speak, think, and act like one! Why do our parents have to pack perfection on our shoulders? Do we really have to be so stuck up?

"I'm fine, mother." I replied with a small smile.

"On the contrary, your majesty, the crown princess has been ill all afternoon. She went back to her room during her afternoon lessons because of it." Alicia put in. I feigned innocence on the subject.

"Elsa, do not lie to us." My father said in a quiet commanding voice. I nodded my head, though I wished I could just hit something. This is idiotic!

"Yes father. I apologize." I said weakly. No point in arguing, obviously. He's the king.

"So you're of Arendell? Ha! I wondered what their rule was like! No wonder their gates are closed, their _crown princess_ is of the gifted! So what are you? What makes you so scary, eh?" Ethan punched in at what was supposed to be a moment of silence for my apology as my father considered its sincerity. I was so glad nobody else could hear him. But then Anna turned her head curiously, as if she too heard something.

"Just don't do it again, okay? You should return to your room now, since you're obviously not well. I'll send a servant to check on you soon, okay, Elsa?" My father said in a voice of finality. It wasn't a question really, more a command than anything.

"Yes, father. Thank you." I said. "Goodnight all. Shall I come down to dinner?" I asked my father.

"I'll send word." He replied. I nodded, feeling a chill spread inside my hands. Yup, time to go!

With that I walked from the room, Alicia at my right, and Ethan to my left. I glanced between them as we walked, wanting to talk to both, but neither in front of the other. Annoying, I know.

We arrived at my room and before I could say anything Alicia broke into a grin. "Ethan, is that you?" She asked in the wrong direction. I gaped for a moment. What?

"Over here, Leesha." Ethan replied in her direction.

"Oh it's been too long!" Alicia replied, turning to Ethan's voice. I was dumbfounded as they had their happy little reunion.

"Only since you came here have I not seen you." Ethan replied.

"That was years ago! I'm just glad to see… talk to you!" Alicia said with a million dollar smile. "I just wish you were really here so I could see you." She continued with a frown.\

"I'm sorry to cut in here, but what's going on? How do you know he's here, and how do you know each other?" I interrupted, done with being out of the loop. This was a bad time in my life to have all this additional crap going on.

"I can't actually see him, only hear him. But he used to visit my sister before… her death, and I recognized his voice," Alicia responded after a moment.

"And I'm here now. And she actually knew me. We met once in person a few years ago while she was looking for a new home. Since we formed a friendship, she can hear me. The rules get more complicated from there with our- the Gifted's- visits, but that's what I've gathered from my many visits to different people. I'm still figuring everything out for myself, to be honest." Ethan continued.

I was still confused, but I nodded slowly. "Okay… um, well I have to go in now, and I figure you should leave too." I said to Alicia. "So… see you later, Alli." I said quietly and escaped into my room, closing the door behind me.

When I turned around, Ethan was standing by my window. "How do you do that? How are you here? I need a real answer." I demanded in a low voice.

He sighed and gazed out the window, ignoring my questions. "I'll be going soon."

"Please, just tell me!" I pleaded. The air around me seemed to grow more frigid, and I felt the frost growing on my cool palms. The walls began to snowflake, the furniture icing over, slowly making its way across every surface in the room. "I'm just confused. I don't know what my life is anymore." I said hopelessly.

"What…" Ethan was staring around the room in wonderment. "So that's your Gift? Ice? Just like Jak! Have you mastered it yet?" Ethan asked, his interest piqued and his excitement back.

"No! And if you don't tell me the answers I need soon, I might do something I'll regret!" I exclaimed.

"Whoa, calm down, spitfire! You can't hurt me." Ethan replied cockily.

"I honestly doubt that." I said bitterly.

"Do you not remember when I saved you from Keelan? I have fire based powers. You can't freeze me anymore than I can burn you." Ethan said, his voice softening with endearment. Why though? Not like we knew each other. Maybe it's something to do with 'opposites attracting' or something weird like that.

I frowned for a moment and looked at my frosty hands. After glancing between them and Ethan a few times, I started walking slowly towards him. My room was completely frozen, I noted, except for the few feet around Ethan.

Once I stood close enough to touch him, I stared at him curiously. "Who are you?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

He chuckled softly. "I told you. I'm Ethan." And then he faded away to wherever he actually was. I stood there and watched as the ice slowly filled over the space Ethan had left warm.

What a day.

A/N: What did you think?

Leave a review!

DFTBA

-Lamb


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